Mon osborn



(No Model.)

B. L. S. OSBORN.

K EY BOARD ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

Patented Feb. 12, 18 89.

. l/vvdvran,

IVESSES,

ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENOCH L. S. OSBORX, OF \YAXAHACHIE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF TKVO IHIRDS TO DAVID MONROE NEUMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

KEY-BOARD ATTACHMENT FOR PEANCS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,815, dated February 12, 1889.

Application filed August 3, 1888. Serial No. 281,860. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 1 tion the key-board A is formed with the usual Be it known that I, ENOCH LIVESAY SOLO- number of keys B to form the requisite num- MON OSBORN, residing at lVa-Xahachie, in the her of octaves. The keys B are all of the same county of Ellis and State of Texas, have inform, size, length, and color, (usually white,) 5 5 5 vented new and useful Improvements in Com and are provided with beveled or slanted .bined Key-Board and Attachment for Pianos, edges Z), so much so that the upper face of Organs, &c., of which the following is a specieach key is not more than one-half the width fi biO l. of the key proper. These keys are divided Myinventionrelatestokey-boardsof pianos, into octaves comprising thirteen in the first 60 1o organs, &c., and has for its object to simplify octave and twelve in the next succeeding octhe reading of music for instruments with taves, and are of seven-twelfths the width of that for the voice, thereby making the charthe ordinary white key of pianos, so that the acter notes for the voice also become the breadth or compass of each octave will be the character-notes of the instrument, and thus same as that of the usual key-board. Upon 65 avoid the labor, time, trouble, difficulty, and the front edges of such of the keys Bas would expense of teaching and learning the two ways correspond to the white keys of the ordinary of reading music, (by the lines and spaces of key-board are indicated letters a, b, c, d, e, f, the music-staffs) and thereby facilitate and and g, and near theirinner edges are indicated improve the art and science of music. the numerals 6 7 l 2 3 l 5, the remaining "0 My invention consists in constructinga keykeys, which correspond to the black keys of board of uniform keys, all of the same form, the usual key-board, being left entirely plain. size, and color, thirteen in the first octave Mounted upon the end terraces, C, of the and twelvein thesucceeding octaves, and they piano-frame, at the inner ends of the keyare made of a width of SQVGll-tWQlftllS the size board A and slightly above the rear edges of 75 of the ordinary white keys of pianos. the keys B, is amovable chromatic scale-plate,

It also consists in providing the key-board D, made of any suitable materialsuch as with a sliding attachment arranged above the wood, tin, &c.of suitable width, (usually one keys, adapted to lengthwise adjustment in reand one-half to four inches) and about one-half lation to the keys. This attachment is formed of aninch or less thick and of a length at least 80 with stripes of different colorsusually white one octave greater than the key-board A. The and blackwhich are so applied as to present scale I) is adapted to slide lengthwise, and for a representation of the usual white and black 2 proper adjustment of such scale-plate in any key-board of pianos. The keys are also pro- .desired position in relation with the key-board vided with a certain arrangement of numerals it is provided at its ends with elongated slots 8 5 and letters to form guides for the adjustment d at least one octave long, through which slots of the sliding attachment, whereby the chropasses a thumb-screw, E, which enters the termatic scale of the instrument is transposed I race C or other projection to which the scalewith the key and the notes of the voice, so plate may be attached, and thereby secures that the reading for the voice and for the inthe same in position. 9 4o strument are the same in all cases; and it By reference to the drawings it will be obfurther consists in the peculiar combination served that the scale-plate D is disposed aland arrangement of parts, as will be fully demost horizontally above the keys, and the upscribed, and particularly pointed out in the per face and the front edge thereof are diclaims, reference being had to the accompavided into stripes d (P of different colors 95 nying drawings, in 'which usually white and black-drawn across the Figure l is a plan view of my improvement width and front edge of said scaleplate. These as applied to so much of a piano as is necesstripes are made of a similar width to the sary to illustrate the invention. Fig. is a- 1 keys B, and are so arranged as to be brought detail perspective view of the same; and Fig. 1 in the same alignment with them. The stripes I00 3 is a detail section, hereinafter referred to. d (P are so arranged upon the plate D as to In the practical construction of my invenpresent an eXact representation of the ordinary keyboard of a piano, the stripes (1 rep resentingthe white keys, and d the black keys. Upon the front edges of the white stripes d of the scale-plate D are indicated numerals 6 7123 5, while upon the rear edges are indicated the letters a b c d e f g.

Thus by the arrangement of the keys in connection with the movable scale-plate D it i will be observed that when the music is of the major key natural-that is, major key of Cby sliding the scale so that the middle white stripe c 1 will be in alignment with the middle c 1 on the key-board, and by reading-the notes and calling them do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do, as one would sing them, and correspondingly touch the keys opposite the white stripes, 011 which the corresponding numerals and let tors are placed, 'the character-notes of the voice become the character-note. of the instrument.

Should the music be of the key of g, f, or any other letter, natural, sharp, or flat, move the scale-plate to the right or left to bring c and 1 of the scale-platein alignment with such letter of the keyboard, and then play as before, reading the music in connection with scale on the plate D according to the numerals thereon.

\Vhen the music is of a minor key, move a 6 of the movable scale up to the proper key. For an accidental sharp orflat, touch the key opposite the proper black stripe.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation and advantages of my improvement will be readily understood.

Thus by this arrangement the chromatic scale of the instrument is transposed with the key-note and the notes of the voice, so that the reading for the voice and for the instrument always the same, and the performance on the instrument always as by thenatural scale, so that the natural scale only has to be learned, whereas by the old key-board method twelve diiterent scales have to be learned, (by lines and spaces of the staffs,) and in all cases one reading for the voice and an entirely different one for the instrument. It will also be seen that while in the old keyboard'the keys are of different heights and lengths, it renders the proper use of them eX- l trcmely diffieult, while by my ar *angement of the keyboard the keys are uniform in every way. By forming them with the slanted or beveled edges the handlin of the same will be easy, and in touching one key the finger will not be liable to touch or press another down at the same time, as their operating faces are separated by the beveled portions, as described.

'ith a slight modification of parts of the ordinary key-board my construction of key and the movable scale-plate may be readily applied.

Having thus described my invention, whatl claim is 1. The combination, with the key-board A, provided with a series of keys of uniform shape and size provided with numerals or letters onv their faces, the upper ends thereof being in the same horizontal plane, of the movable plate D, arranged at the rear and above the key-board, said plate provided with stripes of dilferent colors (preferably white and black) representing the chromatic scale, one of said stripes (white) provided with numerals or letters adapted to be brought in line with the numerals or letters on the keys, said stripes and keys being of equal width, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The combination, with the key-board A,

provided with a series of keys of uniform shape and size, having numerals and letters placed upon the faces of said keys at intervals to indicate their position in the octaves, of the movable plate D, arranged at the rear and slightly above the keyboard, said plate provided with elongated slots in its ends and thumb-screws, whereby said scale-plate may be adjusted upon the frame of the instrument, said plate provided with stripes of different colors (preferably white and black) upon its upper face, said stripes arranged to represent the chromatic scale, one set of said stripes (white) provided with numerals and figures, said stripes formed of a width equal to the keys B, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.

EJOCH L. S. OSBORN. \Vitnesses:

.TAs. P. GoTcHEn, DAVID M. NEUMAN. 

